Means for stopping railroad-trains



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(N0 Model.)

J. CHANDLER.

MRANs FOB STOPPING RAILROAD TRAINS.

No. 283,754. Patented Aug. 28, 1883.-

l N V E N TO H S (94 M his flfiorlzeys,

WITNESSES:

N. PETERS. Phawumo hu. Washmghm 11c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. CHANDLER.

MEANS FOR STOPPING RAILROAD TRAINS. No 283,754.

Patented Aug. 28, 1.883,

Ill

INVENTOR:

By his iflttorneys, M/

WITNESSES:

ADAM

N. PETERS, PhuNd-lhwgmpur. Waihhlglon. D412 ments, the plane of the sectionbeing substan- NITED/ STATES PATENT Orincn.

JOHN CHANDLER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR STOPPING RAILROAD TRAlNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,754, dated August 28, 1883.

Application filed April 2,1883.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I. JOHN CHANDLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain Improvements in Means for Stopping Railway-Trains, of which the following is a specification. a

My invention relates, in the main, to improvements on the safety-block system and appliances described in my Patent No. 273,465, dated March 6, 1883. In my said patent I show and describe a mechanism for opening the valve in the pipe of the air-brake of the car, and for shutting off the steam from the engine of the locomotive, which mechanism is under the control of the signal-man. The road stands normally closed to the train, and is opened to let the train pass by the signal-man at the block.

My present invention consists in improvements in the means employed for carrying this signal system into effect, all as will be more particularly hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a locomotive and truck provided with my improve.

tially on line 1 1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are views of different forms of the valve-cord cutter detached, which will be referred to more particularly hereinafter. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, designed to illustrate the application of my valve to the air-brake pipe of one of the cars of a train.

I will. first describe my invention as applied to the throttling of the steam from the locomotive-engines, with especial reference to Figs. 1 to 4.

Let A represent the combustion-chamber of a locomotive of any kind whatever, and B B the engines of the latter.

I have not shown all the details of the locomotive, as these have no special bearing on my invention.

O is the steam-pipe of the locomotive, which connects by branch pipes to a with the enginecylinders. The ordinary throttle-valve is at the opposite end of the boiler, of. course, and is not shown. In the pipe 0, inside of the combustion-chamber, is arranged my safety (No model.)

| cut-off valve, (designated generally by the letter D in Fig. 1.) This valve comprises a casing, 2), which is tapped by the steam-pipe O on opposite sides, and whichhas stuffing-boxes c c at its ends exterior to the combustion-chamber A. Through the stuffing-boxes pass two valve-stems, d (1, both of which are attached to a slide, 6, which is adapted to fit and play in the chamber, and which is provided with a port, which may be brought to register with the steaminlets, so that steam can pass freely through, as shown in Fig. 1; but when the slide 6 is .1novedto the right in Fig. 1, for examp1e-the mass of the valve is interposed, and cuts off the steam from the engines at once. The valve-stem d is arranged to play in suit able bearings, f, and is embraced by a spring, h, which abuts against a collar on the stem. This spring constantly tends to move the slide 6 to the right and to automatically cut off the steam. Normally, therefore, this spring stands compressed, as in Fig. 1, by means of a device which I will now describe. The other valvestem, (1, is arranged to play in a suitable bearing, f, and it has a double eye, 2 to one of which is attached a cord or wire, k, which passes over a sheave or fair leader, j, and to a ring on this cord or wire is secured one end of a cord, k, which passes over a sheave or fair leader, Z, and is attached to a bracket or fixed arm, a. The cord k is thus held stretched in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position.

It is obvious that with the parts arranged as just described, and as shown in Fig. 1, if the cord k be cut the spring it will be free to act, and will act to shift' the slide 6 and instantly cut off the steam. In order to effect this cutting of cord 70 when it is desired that the train shall stop on any account, I employ,

by preference, the mechanism I will now describe.

E is a shaft mounted to rotate in bearings 011 the road-bed, and set across the track un der the rails F. On this shaft is fixed, in the proper position to engage the cord 7a, a cutter or cutting-blade, G. On the other end of the shaft is fixed an arm, n, from which a connecting-rod, 0, extends to and couples with another arm, n, on a shaft, E, mounted rotatively in a suitable frame, H, at the side of the track. This shaft is' provided with an operating-lever, I, which is normally drawn over by a spring, 2, as in Fig. 2, so as to keep the cutter G erect; In order that the cutter may be held firmly in this erect position, the lever is provided with a spring latch or dog, g, which engages a notch, r, in the frame II.

I will now describe the operation. When the train is approaching, if the signal-man wishes it to pass he lifts the dog q from the notch o", and pulls overthe lever I far enough to cause the cutter G-to lie down out of the way. He must hold the lever in this position, as there is no means of looking engineer to pass, the signal-man simply allows the lever to stand. When the locomotive reaches the cutter G, the latter severs thecord 7c, and the spring 71. instantly shifts the slide 6 so as to cut off the steam from the engines, and the locomotive must stop until anew cord, 7c, is provided and placed.

I prefer to provide the cutter G with a hooked extremity, so as to make sureof its catching {and severing the cord; but this is mainly precautionary. Where trains are running in both directions on a single track, a cutter with a double edge, as shown in Fig. 3, may be employed.

In cases where it is not deemed necessary to employ signal-men at intervals along the road, the engines may be provided with my valve D, as shown, and socket-pieces s, as shown in Fig. 4, be secured firmly on the roadway at intervals. The trains will then be provided with cutters having sockets to fit said socket-pieces, as in Fig. 4. Now, if a train should breakdown or be stopped from any cause, it will be the duty of the conductor or train-men to take such cutter back on the,

track to the nearest socket-piece s, and fix it there, as shown in Fig. 4. Then any approaching train will be stopped, and accidents from collision prevented. This may be, of course, before and behind the train, if danger be apprehended from both directions.

I do not of course limit myself to this precise construction and arrangement of the valve D and its cord and operating mechanism. I have shown one construction and arrangement, but this might be varied in many ways, according to the taste and judgment of the constructer, without departing from my invention. The essential features are the sliding valve, held open by a cord, which is to be severed by a cutter on the track or roadway, and the spring or its equivalent arranged to shift the valve when the cord is cut.

Some variations from the construction shown might be made with respect to the 'means for operating the cutter G-as, for example, the connecting-rod 0 might couple directly to the lever I, and the cutter be maintained erect by some device equivalent to the dog q; or the lever I might be mounted directly on the end of shaft E, and shaft E, arm n, and rod 0 be omitted. I have not deemed it necessary to show every variation in the structure that it would be possible to make. As only the short bit of cord is is destroyed when the train is stopped, it is only necessary to supply the engineer with several extra cords which may be readily placed. The extra eye on the end of of the stem d, Fig. 1, enables the engineer to seize and draw out said stem in setting the valve anew.

I will now refer to Fig. 5, in which I have shown my valve D arranged to control the air or vacuum brakes of a car. In this figure I have shown the valve as actuated by a different device from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This is intended to illustrate the fact that the valve may be tripped and permitted to act by various mechanisms, and is not limited to a cutter and cord. I have employed the same letters of reference as in Figs. 1 and 2, as far aspos sible, to designate equivalent parts. 3

J- represents a car of any. kind whatever, provided with the usual air, steam, or vacuum brakes, of which K is the cylinder, 0 the trainpipe, and D the valve called the conductors valve. This valve is constructed the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except that the slide 0 need have no port 9, as it stands normally closed.

To the stem (1 is attached a cord, 70, which passes over a sheave, Z, and extends back and is connected to a bar, a, mounted to slide in fixed hangers o v. The rear 'end of thisbar a has an eye, which is engaged by a pin, t, on the end of a curved lever, k, which is pivoted at 00 between brackets g on the ear-body.

It will be obvious that if the curved free end of the lever be pressed upward by any obstacle on the track, the pin 1. will be withdrawn from the eye in bar a, and the spring h will be free to act, and willact to raise the slide 6 to the upper end of the valve-casing, and thus uncover the end of pipe 0. This breaks the vacuum and allows the springs to IOC close the brakes on the wheels in the usual way.

In order to actuate the lever 70, I fix on the shaft E a cam, G, which stands normally erect in the path of lever is, and is or may be actuated by a lever precisely as the cutter shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is actuated. I curve the lever 70, as shown, in order that the cam may act upon it to release the bar u in whichever way the car may be moving. This is important, as such cars are run indifferently, with eitherend ahead. Should it be necessary for the conductor to set the brakes, he may easily effect this by means of a lever, a, similar to that shown in my patent before mentioned, a spring, h, stronger than the spring h, being interposed between the stem (1 and the cord k.

In order to avoid a too sudden and rigid ar rest of the motion of lever 7c, when it strikes the cam G, I prefer to provide buffersprings I construction differs from this, in that node- 20 w, of rubber or other suitable elastic material, arranged in the stirrup-guide in which the end of said lever plays.

lVhere cams G are employed in lieu of cutters,these may be made to fit socket-pieces set in the roadway precisely as shown in Fig. 4.

A semaphore may be connected to the lever I, and be operated by it, precisely as shown in my former patent.

It will be seen that I have shown two applications of my valve Done to cutting off the steam from the locomotive-engines, and one to setting the brakes of the cars; and I have shown devices for tripping or actuating the valve.

I do not wish to limit myself to any particular device for setting free the slide 6, except that whatever device may be employed it shall stand normallyin a position to free'said slide,

and shall be under the control. of the signal-,

man, so that he may permit a train to pass.

It will be understood that the valve shown in Fig. 5 is arranged to serve as a conductors valve as well as a regular train-valve. I may, however, place this valve under the car and employ a separate valve for the conductor. It should also be understood that the cutting of the cord h in Figs. 1 and 2 may be made to cut off the steam from the engines, as shown, and at the same time set the brakes by opening the valve in the air-pipe. This may be readily done by extending a branch cord or wire from the wire h, Fig. 1, over sheaves or fair leaders to a valve, D, in the air-pipe under the locomotive. I do not wish it understood that it is necessary to provide distinct releasing devices for the air and steam valves. v

I prefer to arrange my steam cut-off valve in the combustionchamber of thelocomotive;

but it might be arranged to control the steampipe 0 at some other point between the en- ,gineer s valve and the engines.

Iam aware that it is not new to employ a stoppage of the train depends upon two persons, the signalman and the engineer.

pendence whatever is placed upon any one. Unless the signal-man is alert, the train must stop despite the engineer. I employ a cutoff or throttle-valve in the steam-pipe leading to the engines, and the steam will inevitably be cutoff from the latter unless the signalman lowers the cutter or cam.

The lever I, which operates the cutter or cam G, is locked by a dog, so that the cutter or cam must stand normally erect, and when pulled over it will be, when released, drawn back by the spring p. The dog qholds it erect.

Having thus described my invention, I clain 1. As a means for stopping a train independently of the engineer, the combination of a valve arranged in the steanrpipe leading from the ordinary throttle-valve of a locomotive to the engines, the said pipe, a spring arranged to close said valve by its elastic tension, a cord or wire arranged to hold said valve open normally by distending said spring, and means, substantially as described, mounted on the roadway and arranged to release or cut said'cord or wire and permit said valve to close when the locomotive passes, all arranged substantially as described,-and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination, with the combustionchamber A of a locomotive and the steampipe 0, of the valve D, mounted in said chamber, with the stuffing-boxes c c exterior there to, the spring h, arranged to act on the slide 6, as described, and the cords k and 7t, all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the shaft E and the cutter or cam G, mounted thereon, of the le ver I, mounted in a suitable frame and connected with the shaft E, the spring 1), arranged to act up onthe lever and keep the cutter G erect, and the dog q, arranged to engage a notch in the frame, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN CHANDLER.

Vitnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, ARTHUR O. FRASER. 

